[OSM-talk] Standardised Addresses in the UK BS7666 Re: House numbers... One more suggestion

Micah lists at j12.org
Sat Jul 26 17:15:01 BST 2008


Standardised Addresses in UK

It would be good to see full addresses be added to tags on buildings (and 
other addressable objects) in UK with elements relating to BS7666 standard. 

http://www.govtalk.gov.uk/gdsc/html/frames/BS7666Address.htm
 
Even if all elements not know some added in this this format. In that way OSM 
could in future inferface with datasets that held address element in BS7666 
format. or even become if not linked to a free version of the National Land 
and Property Gazetteer.

http://www.nlpg.org.uk 

To work out well it would be good if  the tools used to edit OSM  
parse/validate the address tags to BS7666 format. Pulling some fields such as 
locality and administrative area  from wider polygons is something to be 
consider but this may cause more problems than worth.

More on format of NLPG: http://www.idea.gov.uk/idk/aio/6055969 

Also like with mapping data it would have to be made clear that details 
entered into OSM tag would have to be from direct local knowledge, public 
domain or suitably licensed sources. The only data that could be directly 
used from NLPG itself is the Unique Property Reference Number (UPRN). 
Hopefully in time these will become more widely know and used. 

At moment it is only if particular professions that it is used outside local 
government.
http://www.searchflow.co.uk 

There is also Unique Street Reference Number (USRN) which is being by all  
that dig in the road, which could be added as tag to OSM streets, where know, 
e.g. from roadworks notices.

Note there are significant differences with addresses in format of Postcode 
Address File (PAF) which is widely used. 
ftp://ftp.royalmail.com/Downloads/public/cmwalk/doc/active/doc21800003/PAF_Digest_Dec_03.pdf 

For BS7666 addresses  the numbers with suffixes eg 1A or in ranges 1-3 are 
treated like building names in PAF but as numbers in NLPG.

For BS7666 addresses the locality is the settlement name people would answer 
they are in if asked outside the premise rather than 'post town' 

For a list of 'post towns' see:
 http://www.abcounties.co.uk/bpa/bpasection3.htm 

And looking at that site of the Association of British Counties would we want 
to encourage a tag/field of tradiational county as distinct from 
administrative area.

And when it comes to international address standard then trying to relate 
fields of various systems that have grown up in each postal system presents 
all sort of challenges.

See:
http://www.isotc211.org/Address/Copenhagen_Address_Workshop/index.htm
http://www.isotc211.org/Address/Copenhagen_Address_Workshop/papers/CoetzeeEtAl_TowardsAnInternationalAddressStandard_GSDI-10_2008.pdf
http://www.isotc211.org/Address/Copenhagen_Address_Workshop/papers/Coetzee_AddressDataExchangeInSouthAfrica_ISOWorkshop_May2008.pdf


On Friday 25 July 2008 18:12:54 Frederik Ramm wrote:

> Also, house numbers may
> be entered by people who live in the area and don't even have a GPS.

I don't have a GPS but I have been added street and building names to some I 
know from local knowledge.

I have been lurking on these list for a while now trying to find time to come 
in on aspects of project that interest me. I hope to come back on other 
elements, such as idea for future project to get developers to upload plans 
of there developments, if not direct to OSM to a layer on top host on another 
site pulling in OSM data. But this is linked to me dreaming of a future where 
there is a free map that gets to level of OS mastermap (kerbs, property and 
building lines) if fact I would like to see more with street furnature maped 
out. It might never happen but ...

But more on that later.

Micah
--
http://blog.j12.org




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